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This, that and the other

Vladimir Guerrero will be activated from the disabled list, and the Orioles are expected to remove a pitcher from their 25-man roster. They've got nine relievers in their bullpen.

I don't like to speculate, but Mark Worrell is a candidate to be designated for assignment. That's my guess.

Luke Scott will undergo surgery this morning to repair a torn labrum. Dr. James Andrews is handling the procedure from his office in Pensacola, Fla.

I always associate Andrews with Birmingham, Ala., but I guess he can afford two offices.

Scott is understandably disappointed that his season has ended and he couldn't avoid surgery. He texted the following yesterday: "It has been a rough day. Not what I was hoping for but it is needed. The good thing is that I will be ready in time for next season."

I don't think he really had a choice here. Andrews recommended the surgery. No one believed that he could rehab the tear. And why waste valuable months?

Only one current Oriole (Matt Wieters) has homered off right-hander Brandon Morrow, who starts tonight for the Blue Jays.

Right-handers are batting .214 against Morrow. Left-handers are hitting .246.

Check this out: Morrow's ERA is 5.75 at home and 2.88 on the road.

Jake Arrieta is 2-1 with a 2.89 ERA in three career starts against the Blue Jays. All three have been quality starts.

Arrieta is 4-4 with a 5.32 ERA in nine road starts this season.

The more I think about it, the more I'm opposed to trading Koji Uehara, but I can be swayed if the return is very good.

It's true that his value might never be higher, but he's a relative bargain next season at $4 million and hugely important to the bullpen - especially, as I wrote yesterday morning, if Jim Johnson moves into the rotation.

The Orioles will end up trading Uehara and then spend the winter looking for another Uehara. And there have been some dubious relief signings over the years.

The Orioles need a starter who can move right into the rotation, and I'm talking the front part of it. They also want a stud first base prospect. (Spare me the 4A guys.) If Uehara can bring either one, it makes more sense to part with him.

Maybe those pieces will be found in a package for Jeremy Guthrie. Guys with 14 losses are more attractive than they used to be back in the day.

Did you ever imagine in 2009 that Uehara would become the Orioles' most attractive trade chip? His career in the U.S. has taken a dramatic turn.

As long as I'm jumping topics, is there any doubt that manager Buck Showalter wants to get rid of the rubberized warning track at Camden Yards?

Showalter mentioned over the weekend how moisture on the track presents a hazard, and how catcher Craig Tatum removed a few layers of skin on one hand while retrieving a ball that got past him. And all those ground-rule doubles must be an irritant.

Showalter stopped himself before he said too much, but it's obvious where he stands on the issue.

Down on the farm, Triple-A Norfolk's game against Gwinnett last night was suspended because of rain in the top of the fifth inning.

You can blame Chris Tillman. Every game he pitches seems to be interrupted by the weather.

Tillman allowed one run and four hits in 4 1/3 innings, with one walk, two strikeouts and one home run. He threw 66 pitches, 39 for strikes.

Two of the hits off Tillman came from former Orioles outfielder Jeff Fiorentino.

The game will be resumed on Aug. 31 and played to its scheduled nine-inning completion. The regularly scheduled game will follow and last seven innings.

Short-season Single-A Aberdeen left-hander Trent Howard, a seventh-round pick in last month's First-Year Player Draft out of Central Michigan University, tossed six scoreless innings in relief yesterday to pick up the win over Batavia. He allowed two hits, walked three and struck out nine.

Single-A Frederick's streak of innings without allowing an earned run ended at 38 when Salem scored once in the eighth.

Shortstop Manny Machado went 3-for-4 with two doubles, two RBIs. He also swiped third base twice.

Machado's average is up to .267. Looks like the kid is getting acclimated to the Carolina League.

A scout from outside the organization grades Machado as another Hanley Ramirez. Would that be good enough for you?